Everest: Beyond the Limit (2006–…): Season 3, Episode 1 - First Summit - full transcript

Narrator: THIS YEAR ON THE
WORLD'S DEADLIEST MOUNTAIN,

CLIMBERS TACKLE
THE MOST DANGEROUS ROUTE,

THE TREACHEROUS SOUTH FACE
OF EVEREST.

YOU TAKE A FALL,
YOU'RE NOT GONNA STOP.

Narrator: A MILLIONAIRE
CLIMBS WITHOUT OXYGEN.

David:
IT'S VERY DANGEROUS.

I CAN'T THINK OF ANYTHING
MORE CHALLENGING TO TRY.

THE WORST-CASE SCENARIO IS
OBVIOUSLY THAT HE DOESN'T
COME BACK DOWN.

Narrator: AN AVALANCHE
BURIES A TEAM ALIVE.

BUT THE CHANCE
TO CONQUER EVEREST

DRAWS HUNDREDS OF CLIMBERS
WILLING TO RISK THEIR LIVES



FOR A FEW MINUTES
ON TOP OF THE WORLD.

YOU HATE TO SAY IT,
BUT IT'S JUST PART OF THE GAME.

WELCOME TO EVEREST.

CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY
DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS

Narrator: IT'S THE START
OF A NEW SEASON ON EVEREST.

AT 29,035 FEET,

THE TALLEST MOUNTAIN
ON THE PLANET

DRAWS CLIMBERS
WITH THE BIGGEST DREAMS.

I WANT TO CLIMB EVEREST BAD.

IT IS NOT GONNA BE EASY, BUT I'M
GONNA GIVE IT MY BEST SHOT.

IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS
I WON'T GIVE UP.

Narrator: BUT EVEREST
ALWAYS EXACTS A PRICE.

MORE THAN 200 BODIES
STILL LIE ON THESE SLOPES,

CLIMBERS WHO FELL,
FROZE TO DEATH,



OR WENT MAD
WITH ALTITUDE SICKNESS.

I CAN'T REMEMBER A YEAR
ON EVEREST WHERE NOBODY'S DIED.

Narrator:
CLIMBERS PAY UP TO $60,000
TO JOIN AN EVEREST EXPEDITION.

IN RETURN, THEY GET FOOD,
GUIDES, SHERPAS, TENTS, OXYGEN,

AND MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL,
EVEREST EXPERTISE.

TWO COMPANIES DOMINATE
THIS MILLION-DOLLAR BUSINESS.

RUSSELL BRICE
RUNS HIMALAYAN EXPERIENCE.

I SPEND HALF A YEAR OF MY LIFE

THINKING OR DREAMING OR PLANNING
OR ACTUALLY ON EXPEDITION.

IT'S GETTING FLAT
ON THE OTHER SIDE NOW.

Narrator: RUSSELL'S FRIEND
AND RIVAL, ERIC SIMONSON,

RUNS
INTERNATIONAL MOUNTAIN GUIDES,

OR IMG.

THE ROLE OF THE LEADER
ON AN EXPEDITION

IS TO HAVE THE BIG PICTURE.

FOR THE CLIMBERS
UP HIGH ON THE MOUNTAIN,

THEY'RE FOCUSED ON THEMSELVES.

YOU NEED SOMEBODY IN A POSITION

TO SEE WHAT'S GOING ON
WITH THE OTHER TEAMS,

THE OTHER CLIMBERS ON THE TEAM,
THE WEATHER, THE CONDITIONS.

AND SO THAT'S MY JOB.

Narrator: BETWEEN THEM,

RUSSELL AND ERIC HAVE OVER
40 YEARS OF EVEREST EXPERIENCE

AND HAVE GUIDED MORE THAN
400 CLIMBERS TO THE SUMMIT.

THEY'VE NEVER LOST ONE.

MAYBE I'VE BEEN LUCKY
UP UNTIL NOW.

WHO KNOWS?

IT COULD ALL GO TERRIBLY WRONG
THIS YEAR.

EVERY YEAR WHEN WE COME
ON A BIG TRIP LIKE THIS,

AT THE BEGINNING,
I LOOK AROUND AT EVERYBODY,

AND I WONDER, YOU KNOW,
WHO'S GONNA GET IT.

Narrator:
BASE CAMP IS AT 17,500 FEET,

HIGHER THAN ANY PEAK
IN THE CONTINENTAL U.S.

DOZENS OF TEAMS ARE LINED UP
AND READY TO GO.

CLIMBING WITH ERIC'S IMG TEAM

ARE AMERICANS JOHN GOLDEN AND
HIS FRIEND AND GUIDE, JON SHEA.

GOLDEN IS ATTEMPTING
TO CLIMB EVEREST

AFTER A PIONEERING
KNEE TRANSPLANT.

John: I'M HERE BECAUSE I WANT TO
GIVE IT EVERYTHING I GOT

SO I CAN PROVE TO FOLKS YOU
CAN LIVE AN ACTIVE LIFESTYLE,

NO MATTER WHAT DISABILITY
YOU HAVE.

Narrator:
ALSO CLIMBING WITH IMG

IS FRENCH-CANADIAN REJEAN AUDET.

AT 56, HE'S ONE OF ERIC'S
OLDEST CLIMBERS,

BUT ALSO ONE OF HIS STRONGEST.

Eric: REJEAN'S BEEN
DOING GREAT ON THE TRIP.

HE'S REALLY FIT,
AND HE'S GOT A GOOD HEAD.

I FEEL REALLY GOOD ABOUT REJEAN.

GOOD JOB.

THANK YOU.
REALLY GOOD WORK.

Narrator:
CLIMBING WITH RUSSELL BRICE

IS ENGLISH MILLIONAIRE
DAVID TAIT.

HE'S SUMMITED TWICE BEFORE,

RAISING OVER $1.5 MILLION
FOR A CHILDREN'S CHARITY.

THIS TIME, HE'S GOING TO
ATTEMPT THE MOUNTAIN

WITHOUT SUPPLEMENTAL OXYGEN.

David: HISTORICALLY,
I THINK IT'S VERY DANGEROUS,

AND TO BE HONEST, IT'S ALMOST
A FOOLHARDY THING TO DO

OTHER THAN THE FACT
THAT I CAN'T THINK

OF ANYTHING
MORE CHALLENGING TO TRY.

CLIMBING EVEREST WITHOUT OXYGEN
IS VERY DANGEROUS.

THERE'S ONLY A VERY SMALL
PERCENTAGE OF PEOPLE

IN THE WORLD

THAT HAVE THE PHYSIOLOGY
TO DO THAT.

Narrator: BOTH TEAMS WILL BE
CLIMBING THE SOUTH COL ROUTE.

IT'S HOW THE MOUNTAIN WAS FIRST
CONQUERED OVER 50 YEARS AGO.

IT STARTS WITH THE NOTORIOUS
KHUMBU ICEFALL.

MORE CLIMBERS DIE HERE THAN
ANY OTHER PLACE ON THE MOUNTAIN.

EVERYONE IS QUITE AFRAID
OF THIS ICEFALL,

WHICH IS LIKE A WATERFALL OF ICE
THAT'S MOVING ALL THE TIME.

IF YOU'RE GONNA CLIMB EVEREST,

YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO BE WILLING
TO ACCEPT SOME RISK --

SIMPLE AS THAT.

Narrator: BLOCKS OF ICE CAN FALL
AT ANY TIME OF THE DAY OR NIGHT.

IT'S A LITTLE BIT LIKE A GAME
OF RUSSIAN ROULETTE.

Narrator:
LOOMING OVER THE ROUTE

ARE ICE CLIFFS
THE SIZE OF BUILDINGS,

READY TO BREAK OFF.

AND WHEN THEY DO,

AVALANCHES CAN WIPE OUT
WHOLE TEAMS WITHOUT WARNING.

THIS MONTH WILL AVERAGE
ONE AVALANCHE EVERY 48 HOURS,

USUALLY DURING
THE WARMEST PART OF THE DAY.

BUT CLIMBING CAN'T BEGIN

UNTIL LOCAL SHERPAS FIX A ROUTE
THROUGH THE KHUMBU ICEFALL.

THE JOB FALLS
TO AN ELITE TEAM OF SHERPAS,

THE ICEFALL DOCTORS.

I WOULD NOT WANT TO BE
AN ICEFALL DOCTOR.

NOT THE JOB FOR ME,
AT ANY PRICE.

IT'S AN INCREDIBLY
DANGEROUS JOB.

Narrator: THE ICEFALL DOCTORS
BLAZE A TRAIL

THROUGH A MILE AND A HALF
OF SHIFTING SNOW

AND GIANT BLOCKS OF ICE
THAT CAN COLLAPSE AT ANY MOMENT.

THEY SECURE SAFETY ROPES
AND LADDERS TO BRIDGE CREVASSES,

BOTTOMLESS CRACKS IN THE ICE

THAT ARE EVERY CLIMBER'S
NIGHTMARE.

[ ALL CHANTING ]

ICEFALL'S OPEN.
WE'RE READY TO GO.

Narrator:
ONCE THE ICEFALL IS OPEN,

CLIMBERS BEGIN WEEKS
OF ACCLIMATIZING.

THE HIGHER THEY GO,
THE LOWER THE AIR PRESSURE.

THEIR LUNGS CAN'T GET
ENOUGH OXYGEN WITH EVERY BREATH.

JUST TIRED. FATIGUED.
CAN'T BREATHE.

FEELS LIKE I GOT
A FILE IN MY THROAT.

Narrator:
CLIMBERS HAVE TO ADAPT THEIR
BODIES FOR HIGHER ELEVATIONS,

OR THEY'LL SLIP
INTO A COMA AND DIE.

AND THAT MEANS MULTIPLE TRIPS
THROUGH THE KHUMBU ICEFALL.

JOHN GOLDEN AND HIS GUIDE,
JON SHEA,

SET OUT ON THEIR
SECOND ACCLIMATIZING TREK.

THEY HAVE ONLY A FEW HOURS
BEFORE DAWN,

WHEN THE ICEFALL TURNS DEADLY.

WE WANT TO TRY TO BEAT THE SUN,

SO THE IDEA IS, RIGHT NOW,
WHEN TEMPERATURES ARE COLD,

THE ICEFALL IS SORT OF
AT ITS MOST STABLE.

Narrator: THERE ARE DOZENS
OF CLIMBERS AHEAD OF THEM.

GOLDEN AND SHEA RISK
GETTING STUCK IN LONG LINES,

WHERE THE FIXED ROUTE
IS SINGLE-FILE.

I'M A LITTLE ANXIOUS,
JUST AS ONE WOULD EXPECT,

KNOWING YOU GOT A WHOLE BUNCH
OF PEOPLE HEADING UP THE HILL.

Narrator:
WHEN THE SUN RISES,

ICE AND SNOW MELT
AND SHIFT WITHOUT WARNING.

BUT THIS SPRING
IS UNSEASONABLY WARM,

INCREASING THE CHANCE
OF AVALANCHES, EVEN AT NIGHT.

HERE IT COMES.

HERE IT COMES.
OH, NO.

STAY DOWN, GUYS.

MY FIRST AVALANCHE.

LOOK AT IT.
IT'S COMING OVER OUR HEADS.

BACK, BACK, BACK, BACK.

WHOA!

WHOO!

I DON'T KNOW IF I SHOULD
PEE IN MY PANTS

OR BE EXCITED HERE,
GUYS.

OH, MAN.

SO, THAT WAS A BIG SLIDE
RIGHT OFF THE WALL HERE.

LET'S KEEP MOVING,
GUYS.

Narrator:
AT DAWN, GOLDEN AND AND SHEA

ARE STILL IN THE MIDDLE
OF THE ICEFALL.

AS THE SUN RISES
HIGHER IN THE SKY,

SHIFTING SNOW AND ICE
CAN TURN THE KHUMBU ICEFALL

INTO AVALANCHE ALLEY.

YOU SEE THESE SERACS UP HERE
THAT ARE MUCH MORE VERTICAL.

IT'S SORT OF TEETERING AS THIS
GLACIER MOVES AND SURGES.

THAT'S WHAT'S GONNA
COME TUMBLING.

YOU LOOK UP THERE AND SEE A FEW
MORE BLOCKS THAT MIGHT FALL.

SO, I'M ANXIOUS TO HIT
THE LADDERS AND GET MOVING.

LET'S GET 'EM.

Narrator:
BUT PROGRESS IS SLOW.

AHEAD ARE DOZENS OF CLIMBERS
FROM OTHER EXPEDITIONS.

TRAFFIC JAMS AND
TEETERING BLOCKS OF ICE

ARE A DEADLY COMBINATION.

ALL YOU WANT TO DO
IS MOVE AS FAST AS YOU CAN,

AND WHEN IT'S ALL JAMMED UP,
IT'S INCREDIBLY FRUSTRATING.

YOU JUST WANT TO GO, GO, GO,
AND YOU CAN'T GO.

AND IT REALLY SCARES YOU.

Narrator: DOZENS OF CLIMBERS
SLOW TO A CRAWL

IN THE ONE PLACE ON EVEREST
WHERE EVERY SECOND COUNTS.

Eric:
OH, IT'S DANGEROUS.

ANY TIME YOU'RE CLIMBING
BELOW ICE CLIFFS,

YOU KNOW THEY'RE GONNA
COME OFF AT SOME POINT.

JUST A QUESTION OF WHEN.

SECURE FOOTING.
DO NOT JUMP.

I HEAR A NOISE, JON.

Eric: IF THERE IS
A COLLAPSE RIGHT NOW

AND YOU GOT 20 PEOPLE
ALL STANDING NEXT TO EACH OTHER,

THIS IS WHERE YOU
RUN INTO THE POTENTIAL

OF REALLY GETTING
A LOT OF PEOPLE KILLED.

Narrator: THE CLIFFS ABOVE
ARE TOO PRECARIOUS.

JON SHEA DECIDES IT'S TIME
TO SCRAMBLE OUT OF THEIR SHADOW,

IF IT'S NOT TOO LATE.

Jon: LET'S KEEP ON MOVING,
THEN.

UH...

AVALANCHE.

AVALANCHE.

MAN: Wow.

GEEZ.

[ INDISTINCT RADIO CHATTER ]

[ INDISTINCT SPEAKING ]

SOME OF THEM WERE COMING DOWN.

Narrator: EVEN BY EVEREST
STANDARDS, THIS IS A BIG ONE.

FROM BASE CAMP, ERIC STRUGGLES
TO CONTACT GOLDEN AND SHEA.

COPY, BASE CAMP.

[ INDISTINCT RADIO CHATTER ]

TRYING TO CONTACT THEM
RIGHT NOW.

Narrator: ONE BY ONE,

TEAMS IN THE ICEFALL RADIO
BASE CAMP THAT THEY'RE OKAY --

EXCEPT ONE.

Narrator: THE BIGGEST AVALANCHE
OF THE SEASON SO FAR

CRASHES THROUGH
THE KHUMBU ICEFALL.

ERIC SIMONSON'S TEAM IS MISSING.

COPY, BASE CAMP.

Narrator: ALL THE OTHER CLIMBERS
IN THE ICEFALL

CHECK IN WITH THEIR TEAMS,
EXCEPT JOHN GOLDEN AND JON SHEA.

[ INDISTINCT RADIO CHATTER ]

PRETTY SCARED.

JON: IMG base camp --
Jon Shea.

GO AHEAD, JON.
We're all here,
safe and sound.

ALL RIGHT.
GOOD NEWS, JON.

SEE YOU
WHEN YOU GET HERE.

ALL RIGHT, THAT'S A RELIEF.

HOLY COW.

WHOA.
WHOA.
WHOA.WHOA.

Narrator:
GOLDEN AND SHEA MANAGE TO STAY
JUST AHEAD OF THE AVALANCHE

AND NARROWLY ESCAPE.

MAN, WE GOT THROUGH THERE
JUST IN TIME.

THAT WAS A SERIOUS FALL.
WE'RE LUCKY.

WHEW!

MAN.

ALL RIGHT, JON.

THAT'S BIG RELIEF.
EVERYBODY'S SAFE AND SOUND.

Narrator: THE ICEFALL
IS JUST THE FIRST HURDLE

ON A DANGEROUS CLIMB.

BEFORE ANYONE
CAN ATTEMPT THE SUMMIT,

SHERPAS MUST HAMMER
METAL ANCHORS

AND FIX SAFETY LINES
FOR CLIMBERS TO CLIP ON TO,

ALL THE WAY TO THE TOP.

Eric: GETTING THE ROUTE FIXED
IS ALWAYS A BIG JOB.

WE'RE LOOKING AT NEEDING

MAYBE 10,000-PLUS-OR-MINUS
METERS OF ROPE.

Narrator:
AND ERIC AND RUSSELL

ARE JOINING FORCES
TO GET THE JOB DONE.

IMG AND HIMEX WERE GOOD OLD
MATES FROM A LONG TIME AGO,

AND WE'LL BE WORKING TOGETHER
AND THAT WILL BE FANTASTIC.

Narrator: IT'S A RISKY CLIMB,
EVEN FOR THE HEARTIEST SHERPAS,

AND THEY HAVE TO WORK FAST.

VIOLENT WEATHER AT THE SUMMIT

ONLY CLEARS FOR A FEW WEEKS
EVERY SPRING.

AT BASE CAMP, RUSSELL BRICE
TRACKS WEATHER MAPS

HUNDREDS OF MILES AWAY

TO FORECAST A SAFE WINDOW
FOR THE SHERPAS.

Russell: THERE'S NOT TOO MUCH
WIND. TEMPERATURES ARE HIGH.

WE BETTER BE
WORKING ON THE MOUNTAIN FAST

AND TRYING TO DO AS MUCH
AS WE CAN AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN.

Narrator:
A SUMMIT BID TAKES FIVE DAYS.

ACCLIMATIZED CLIMBERS
CAN SKIP CAMP 1

AND SPEND THEIR FIRST NIGHT
AT CAMP 2.

THEN THEY TACKLE
THE LHOTSE FACE,

A SHEER WALL OF GLACIAL ICE.

CAMP 4 ON THE SOUTH COL IS
THE GATEWAY TO THE DEATH ZONE.

HERE, THE AIR IS SO THIN,

EACH BREATH INHALES A THIRD
OF THE OXYGEN AT SEA LEVEL.

AT THIS ALTITUDE,
WITHOUT SUPPLEMENTAL OXYGEN,

UNACCLIMATIZED CLIMBERS
WOULD SLIP INTO A COMA

IN UNDER 10 MINUTES.

ABOUT 3,000 CLIMBERS
HAVE SUMMITED EVEREST,

BUT FEWER THAN 250 HAVE REACHED
THE TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN

WITHOUT BOTTLED OXYGEN.

THIS YEAR, ENGLISHMAN DAVID TAIT
HOPES TO JOIN THAT ELITE GROUP,

BUT MANY HAVE DIED TRYING.

TO BE PERFECTLY HONEST, I LIKE
ACHIEVING WHAT OTHERS CAN'T.

Narrator:
TAIT HAS SUMMITED TWICE BEFORE

AND RAISED OVER $1.5 MILLION
FOR CHARITY.

HIS THIRD AND FINAL ATTEMPT
WILL BE THE TOUGHEST.

David: THE CHALLENGE IS

THAT YOU TRY AND CLIMB
TO THE TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN

JUST USING YOUR OWN ABILITY,
THE PUREST FORM OF CLIMBING.

Narrator: TAIT AND HIS GUIDE,
ADRIAN BALLINGER,

ARE IN THE ICEFALL.

JUST A DAY'S CLIMB BEHIND
THE ROPE-FIXING SHERPAS.

David: IT DOES HELP
HAVING ADRIAN IN FRONT.

IF I REALLY PUSH MYSELF,

I MIGHT BE ABLE
TO STAND ON HIS HEELS.

Narrator:
WITH SUPPLEMENTAL OXYGEN,

CLIMBERS HAVE MORE ENERGY,
CAN THINK MORE CLEARLY,

AND STAY WARMER.

WITHOUT IT, BLOOD CIRCULATION
SLOWS TO THEIR EXTREMITIES,

MAKING IT NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE

TO KEEP HANDS AND FEET
FROM FREEZING.

PEOPLE WHO CLIMB WITHOUT OXYGEN

ARE MUCH, MUCH MORE LIKELY
TO GET FROSTBITE

THAN THOSE THAT DON'T.

Narrator: A QUICK SUMMIT
AHEAD OF OTHER CLIMBERS

IS THE ONLY WAY TO SUCCEED.

David: I WOULD LIKE TO BE
AHEAD OF EVERYBODY ELSE

BECAUSE, SIMPLY, I CANNOT AFFORD

TO GET CAUGHT IN A TRAFFIC JAM
OF PEOPLE.

I WON'T BE MOVING VERY FAST.
MY CIRCULATION WILL BE LESS.

AND AS I'VE MENTIONED ENOUGH,
I WILL START LOSING DIGITS.

Narrator: DAVID AND ADRIAN

ARE THE FIRST CLIMBERS
INTO CAMP 2 THIS SEASON.

WE SLOWED DOWN A BIT,

YOU KNOW, HOUR 40,
SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

HOUR 45.
SO, NOT BAD.

REST OF MY BODY'S FINE.
IT'S JUST THE FINGERS.

JUST WOULDN'T
WARM UP TODAY.

TAIT IS DEVISING
A RADICAL PLAN --

CATCH UP
WITH THE ROPE-FIXING SHERPAS

AND BE THE FIRST CLIMBER
EVER TO SUMMIT WITH THEM.

IT'S A SURE BET
TO BEAT THE CROWDS,

BUT FIRST, HE NEEDS APPROVAL
FROM RUSSELL BRICE.

David:
IF I CAN JUST BE AHEAD OF THEM,

FOR NO OTHER REASON

THAN I'D NEVER HAVE TO
COME UP BEHIND A QUEUE,

THAT IS WORTH THE GAMBLE TO ME,
I THINK.

IT'S JUST WHETHER I CONVINCE
RUSS TO GIVE ME THAT SHOT.

Narrator:
IF RUSSELL SAYS NO,

ADRIAN AND THE SHERPAS
CAN'T TAKE HIM.

HEY, RUSSELL, BASE CAMP,
DO YOU COPY? OVER.

ADRIAN, YOU COPY?

Yeah, it's great
for Dave to want to do that,

BUT I'M NOT SURE
THAT WE ARE READY.

Narrator:
BUT TAIT'S A MAVERICK

WHO IS USED TO GETTING
WHAT HE WANTS.

RELUCTANTLY,
BRICE LETS TAIT CLIMB TO CAMP 3,

WHERE HE'LL MAKE
A FINAL DECISION.

I...HATE...
RUSSELL...BRICE.

DAVID'S GAMBLING THAT HE CAN
REACH THE SUMMIT FAST ENOUGH

AND RETURN
BEFORE HIS BODY COLLAPSES.

David:
IS IT A BALANCED RISK?

YEAH, IT'S PROBABLY
MORE RISKY THAN BALANCED.

BUT I'M WILLING
TO TAKE THAT RISK.

Narrator:
IT'S A LIFE-OR-DEATH DECISION.

IN THE PAST, ONLY SHERPAS
HAVE MADE THIS RAPID ASCENT

THIS EARLY IN THE SEASON.

LET US KNOW
HOW YOU'RE PROGRESSING.

DAVID COULD BE
THE FIRST SUMMIT OF THE SEASON

OR ITS FIRST VICTIM.

Narrator:
ENGLISH MILLIONAIRE DAVID TAIT

WANTS TO BE THE FIRST CLIMBER TO
THE SUMMIT OF EVEREST THIS YEAR.

AND HE WANTS TO DO IT
WITHOUT BOTTLED OXYGEN.

AT CAMP 3, HE'LL FIND OUT

IF EXPEDITION LEADER
RUSSELL BRICE WILL LET HIM TRY.

THE BIGGEST RISK IS THAT
HE EXTENDS HIMSELF TOO MUCH

AND GETS EXHAUSTED
AND THEN SITS DOWN AND DIES.

IT'S QUITE A BIG GAMBLE.

Monica:
CLIMBING WITHOUT OXYGEN

CHANGES THIS WHOLE ENDEAVOR
QUITE DRAMATICALLY.

THE WORST-CASE SCENARIO

IS OBVIOUSLY THAT HE DOESN'T
COME BACK DOWN.

Narrator: RUSSELL'S FIRST
SUMMIT DECISION OF THE YEAR

IS ALSO ONE OF THE HARDEST.

HE CONSULTS WITH HEAD SHERPA
PHURBA TASHI AT CAMP 3.

PHURBA, PHURBA,
YOU COPY?

OKAY.
AND DAVID'S DOING OKAY?

RUSSELL GIVES DAVID A CHOICE --

USE OXYGEN AND SUMMIT
WITH THE ROPE-FIXING SHERPAS

OR COME BACK DOWN
AND SUMMIT WITHOUT OXYGEN LATER.

FROM 23,500 FEET,

THE LURE OF THE SUMMIT
IS TOO GREAT.

IF YOU THINK IT'S A GOOD IDEA,
NO PROBLEM.

Okay.

DAVID GETS THE GREEN LIGHT
TO SUMMIT WITH THE ROPE FIXERS.

[ LAUGHS ]

HE WILL BE CLIMBING WITH BRICE'S
HEAD SHERPA, PHURBA TASHI,

AN EVEREST LEGEND WHO'S
BEEN TO THE TOP 14 TIMES.

I'VE GOT AN OPPORTUNITY
TO GET TO THE SUMMIT, HOPEFULLY,

WITH PHURBA.

AS A CONSEQUENCE OF THAT,

I'M FOREGOING THE EFFORT
WITHOUT OXYGEN

IN FAVOR OF AN EFFORT WITH.

I'VE GOT MY REASONS.

I WANT TO KEEP MY FINGERS.
I WANT TO KEEP MY TOES.

IT REALLY IS A CASE OF
COMMON SENSE, FOR A CHANGE,

THAT DOMINATES MY THINKING.

Narrator: THE LAST STOP
ON EVEREST IS CAMP 4,

AT 26,000 FEET.

THAT'S WHERE TAIT
AND PHURBA TASHI

WILL LAUNCH THEIR SUMMIT BID
LATER TONIGHT.

IT'S THE GATEWAY
TO THE DEATH ZONE.

EVERY STEP BEYOND HERE BRINGS
THE CLIMBER CLOSER TO DEATH.

I'M TIRED BUT FINE.

PHURBA'S OUT OF THIS WORLD,
AS USUAL.

SEEMS EVERYTHING'S
SET FOR THE MORNING.

WE'RE GONNA BE LEAVING
'ROUND ABOUT 2:00.

GOODBYE AND TAKE CARE.

8,500 FEET BELOW IN BASE CAMP,

IMG LEADER ERIC SIMONSON

LAUNCHES THE NEXT WAVE
OF CLIMBERS,

REJEAN AUDET
AND ASTRONAUT SCOTT PARAZYNSKI.

LET'S GET THE SHOW
ON THE ROAD, HUH?

TALLY HO.
TALLY HO.

A LOT OF PEOPLE MOVING UP.
BIG DAY.

LOOKS LIKE IT'S GONNA BE
A GOOD ONE, KNOCK ON WOOD.

OKAY, REJEAN,
GO GET 'EM.

Narrator: A MILE AND A HALF
ABOVE, AT CAMP 4,

DAVID TAIT AND PHURBA TASHI
ALSO SET OFF,

LAUNCHING THEIR FINAL PUSH
FOR THE SUMMIT.

SUMMIT DAY
IS WHEN MOST CLIMBERS DIE.

THEY STILL FACE
A 3,000-FOOT VERTICAL CLIMB

TO THE TOP OF THE WORLD.

TAIT AND PHURBA TASHI
KEEP A SAFE DISTANCE

BEHIND THE ROPE-FIXING SHERPAS
AHEAD OF THEM.

THEY CARRY JUST ENOUGH OXYGEN
FOR THE 18-HOUR ROUND TRIP.

ANY DELAY WILL USE UP
THEIR PRECIOUS AIR SUPPLY.

DAWN, 8,000 FEET BELOW.

SCOTT PARAZYNSKI
AND REJEAN AUDET

PICK THEIR WAY
THROUGH THE KHUMBU ICEFALL.

'COURSE, AS THE DAY HEATS UP,

MORE LIKELIHOOD THAT SOME
OF THESE THINGS COULD RIP OFF.

[ BREATHING HEAVILY ]

OH!

IT'S ALL RIGHT.

Narrator:
FOR SCOTT AND REJEAN,

THE ROUTE IS SET
WITH ROPES AND LADDERS.

BUT AT 27,000 FEET,

DAVID TAIT'S DARING SUMMIT BID
IS UNRAVELING.

THE SHERPAS AHEAD ARE TRAPPED
IN A TANGLE OF ROPES.

WITH NO SAFETY LINES AHEAD,
PASSING THEM ISN'T AN OPTION.

WITHOUT OXYGEN, THIS DELAY
COULD HAVE KILLED DAVID.

IT STILL MIGHT.

BUT HE'S DETERMINED TO WAIT,
IN SPITE OF HIS LIMITED OXYGEN.

PHURBA TASHI TAKES CHARGE.

HE HAS JUST MINUTES
TO SALVAGE THEIR SUMMIT BID.

THE LONGER THEY SIT,
THE MORE OXYGEN THEY WASTE.

THE MORE CONFUSED THEY GET,

THE GREATER THE RISK
OF FROSTBITE,

UNCONSCIOUSNESS, AND DEATH.

THEY'RE ALL ON BORROWED TIME,
AND IT'S RUNNING OUT.

Narrator:
ENGLISH MILLIONAIRE DAVID TAIT

AND HIS SHERPA GUIDE,
PHURBA TASHI,

HIT A ROADBLOCK
AT THE TOP OF THE WORLD.

THE ROPE FIXERS
HAVE GROUND TO A HALT

WITH A RAT'S NEST
OF TANGLED SAFETY LINES.

DAVID AND PHURBA
HAVE JUST ENOUGH OXYGEN

TO SUMMIT AND RETURN.

RUNNING OUT COULD KILL THEM,

AND THEY'RE ALREADY
TWO HOURS BEHIND SCHEDULE.

HEAD SHERPA PHURBA TASHI
TAKES CHARGE OF THE ROPES.

HE UNTANGLES PILES OF ROPE AND
FINALLY GETS THEM MOVING AGAIN.

8:00 A.M.

ONE FINAL OBSTACLE LOOMS --

THE HILLARY STEP,

A TREACHEROUS 40-FOOT ROCK WALL

JUST A FEW HUNDRED FEET
BELOW THE SUMMIT.

THE METAL SPIKES
ON THEIR CRAMPONS

CAN'T GRIP AGAINST BARE ROCK.

A MISSTEP HERE COULD SEND THEM
HURTLING OFF THE MOUNTAIN,

10,000 FEET STRAIGHT DOWN.

PAST THE HILLARY STEP,

THE HIGHEST POINT ON THE PLANET
IS WITHIN REACH.

JUST 500 FEET LIE
BETWEEN DAVID AND THE SUMMIT.

NEARLY 11 HOURS
AFTER LEAVING CAMP 4,

DAVID TAIT STANDS
ON TOP OF THE WORLD.

HE'S THE FIRST CLIMBER TO SUMMIT
WITH THE ROPE-FIXING SHERPAS.

THE EUPHORIA AND FEELING
OF SELF-BELIEF AND WORTH

I HAVE EXTRACTED
FROM THESE SUMMITS

MAKES ME FEEL
ON TOP OF THE PILE.

THAT'S WHY I DO IT.

IT'S FOR MY OWN PERSONAL
SELF-BELIEF.

Narrator: DAVID TAIT
CELEBRATES WITH THE SHERPAS,

THE FIRST SUMMIT OF THE SEASON,

THE FIRST EVER
WITH THE ROPE-FIXING SHERPAS.

EVEREST IS OPEN FOR BUSINESS.

SOUNDS LIKE EVERYBODY
WORKED WELL TOGETHER.

And they did a good job.

YEAH,
PRETTY HARD TO COMPLAIN

ABOUT A SUMMIT DAY
ON MOUNT EVEREST.

ON TOP OF THE WORLD,

DAVID CAN ONLY AFFORD
A FEW MINUTES ON THE SUMMIT

BEFORE IT'S TIME TO START DOWN.

THE MOST DANGEROUS PART
OF HIS DAY STILL LIES AHEAD.

SO TAKE CARE
ON THE WAY DOWN.

WILL DO, RUSS.
THANK YOU.

THEY'RE TIRED
AND RUNNING OUT OF OXYGEN.

ANY MISTAKE NOW

COULD SEND THEM INTO FREEFALL
OFF THE SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN.

6,000 FEET BELOW,

REJEAN AUDET MAKES IT
THROUGH THE ICEFALL.

BUT ACCLIMATIZING
COMES AT A PRICE.

HIS HEART IS RACING
OUT OF CONTROL.

OKAY, WE'LL WAIT HERE.
OVER.

RAPID HEART RATE
QUICKLY TURNS TO CHEST PAIN.

WHEN DID THE PAIN START?

ALL OF HIS HARD WORK
ACCLIMATIZING

COULD NOW BE KILLING REJEAN.

HIS BODY'S RESPONDED

BY PRODUCING MILLIONS
OF EXTRA RED BLOOD CELLS,

BUT THICKER BLOOD MIGHT BE
CAUSING A HEART ATTACK.

NO OTHER THING?

NUMBNESS IN THE FINGERS?
NOTHING IN THE LEGS?

EXPEDITION LEADER ERIC SIMONSON

MANAGES THE CRISIS
FROM BASE CAMP.

OKAY, WE HAVE OXYGEN
HERE NOW.

TELL ME HOW MUCH ASPIRIN.
OVER.

ASPIRIN WILL THIN THE BLOOD

THAT COULD BE CLOGGING
REJEAN'S ARTERIES.

COPY THAT. TAKE MORE THAN ONE
AND CHEW THEM.

TWO'S GOOD.

COPY THAT,
AND ON THE O's,

YOU COULD START HIM
AT MAYBE 3 LITERS A MINUTE.

3 LITER.
OH, YES.

OKAY, WE'RE ON
3 LITERS A MINUTE.

REJEAN SHOULD GO AHEAD

AND THROW THAT OXYGEN BOTTLE
IN HIS PACK AND HEAD ON DOWN.

Narrator: BUT REJEAN'S
RELUCTANT TO DESCEND.

IT'S THE HEAT OF THE AFTERNOON.

THE ICE CLIFFS BELOW HIM ARE
MELTING IN THE KHUMBU ICEFALL.

WHATEVER ERIC DECIDES,
REJEAN'S IN DANGER.

A HEART ATTACK AT 20,000 FEET

MEANS LITTLE HOPE OF RESCUE.

BUT CLIMBING DOWN
INTO AN AVALANCHE

COULD ALSO BE FATAL.

Narrator: AT THE TOP
OF THE KHUMBU ICEFALL,

CANADIAN REJEAN AUDET
IS SUFFERING

WHAT COULD BE A HEART ATTACK.

TEAM LEADER ERIC SIMONSON
FACES A TOUGH DECISION.

IF REJEAN DESCENDS
THROUGH THE ICEFALL,

HE COULD BE WALKING
INTO AN AVALANCHE.

BUT IF HE STAYS
AT THIS ALTITUDE,

CARDIAC ARREST COULD KILL HIM.

REJEAN,
I THINK CONSENSUS IS...

OKAY. UNDERSTOOD.

IT'S EVERY CLIMBER'S
NIGHTMARE --

AVALANCHE ALLEY
AT THE WARMEST TIME OF DAY,

WHEN AN AVALANCHE
IS MOST LIKELY TO STRIKE.

Narrator: 7,000 FEET UP,

DAVID TAIT AND PHURBA TASHI
RETURN TO CAMP 4.

TAIT RECOVERS FROM BURNING
15,000 CALORIES

ON HIS SUMMIT DAY,

10 TIMES THE DAILY AVERAGE.

I'M WASTED.

IT'S LONG DAY, HUH?
Man: YEAH.

BUT HE'S SAFE.
HE'S OUT OF THE DEATH ZONE.

IT'S THE WARMEST TIME OF DAY.

AT THE FOOT OF THE MOUNTAIN,

ERIC SIMONSON TRACKS REJEAN
AND THE TWO SHERPAS

HELPING HIM
THROUGH THE KHUMBU ICEFALL.

THEN DISASTER STRIKES.

Eric: AVALANCHE.

[ INDISTINCT RADIO CHATTER ]

MAN, THAT WAS A HUGE ONE.

THAT WAS A HUGE ONE
OFF THE SHOULDER.

[BLEEP]

MAN:
I can't see them.

THE BIGGEST AVALANCHE
OF THE SEASON

SMASHES THROUGH THE ICEFALL.

We have people
just below it.

REJEAN AND AT LEAST
20 OTHER CLIMBERS

WERE DIRECTLY IN ITS PATH.

TEAMS SCRAMBLE
TO COUNT THEIR CLIMBERS.

[ SPEAKS INDISTINCTLY ]

NOBODY AT IMG CAN REACH REJEAN.

REJEAN,
OUR SHERPA'S COMING DOWN.

[ SPEAKS INDISTINCTLY ]

Narrator:
REJEAN ISN'T RESPONDING.

ANOTHER TEAM OF EUROPEAN
CLIMBERS IS ALSO MISSING.

John: STILL SOME PEOPLE
UNACCOUNTED FOR,

SO WE'RE ALL SITTING HERE
PRETTY CONCERNED.

[ INDISTINCT RADIO CHATTER ]

[ SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY ]

WHAT I'M TELLING YOU ABOUT IS,
SEE THIS PIECE UP HERE?

FINALLY,
SHERPA JANGHBU GETS WORD.

THEY'RE OKAY.
THEY'RE ALL OKAY.

OUR GUYS ARE OKAY.

I'M SURE THEY GOT BLASTED
PRETTY BIG TIME.

THAT WAS THE BIGGEST ONE
SO FAR THIS SEASON.

Narrator: BUT THE EUROPEAN TEAM
IS NOT SO LUCKY.

SURVIVORS SEARCH
THROUGH THE RUBBLE,

WHERE A MAN, A WOMAN, AND
THEIR SHERPA GUIDE, LAKPA NURU,

WERE LAST SEEN.

GET THE REST OF THE PACK
READY TO GO.

OKAY,
WE'RE SENDING UP RESCUE GEAR.

YOU HAVE OXYGEN --

MASKS, REGULATOR, OXYGEN
WITH YOU, CORRECT?

YOU WANT TO THROW
SOME MORE ROPE IN THERE?

REGULATOR AND MASK
UP HERE.

THERE'S ONE GRAY PACK.

THEY'RE GONNA RUN LIKE CRAZY,
GET UP THERE.

Narrator: AS ICE CLIFFS
CONTINUE TO MELT,

THE RESCUE EFFORT PUTS EVEN MORE
CLIMBERS IN HARM'S WAY.

BUT THEIR BRAVERY IS REWARDED.

RESCUERS HOIST THE BELGIAN WOMAN
OUT OF THE CREVASSE

HUNDREDS OF FEET DEEP.

SHE'S ALIVE.

SOUNDS LIKE THERE'S AT LEAST ONE
PERSON STILL IN THE CREVASSE.

PROBABLY GOT BLOWN IN
BY THE BLAST.

Narrator:
AUSTRIAN WALTER LASERER
IS STUCK TOO DEEP.

RESCUERS CAN'T REACH HIM.

AND HIS BODY HEAT'S
MELTING THE ICE AROUND HIM,

CAUSING HIM TO SLIP
DEEPER INTO THE CREVASSE.

HOPEFULLY THEY'LL GET THERE
QUICK ENOUGH TO BE ABLE TO HELP.

HE COULD SOON BE BURIED ALIVE,
TOO DEEP TO BE RESCUED.

Narrator: THE BIGGEST AVALANCHE
OF THE SEASON

CRASHES INTO THE KHUMBU ICEFALL.

TEAMS IN BASE CAMP
MOUNT A MASSIVE RESCUE EFFORT.

GET THE REST OF THE PACK
READY TO GO.

Narrator: ONE SHERPA,
LAKPA NURU, IS STILL MISSING.

AND AN AUSTRIAN CLIMBER,
WALTER LASERER,

IS STUCK IN A CREVASSE,
SLIPPING DEEPER AND DEEPER

AS HIS OWN BODY HEAT
MELTS THE ICE AROUND HIM.

SOON, RESCUE WILL BE IMPOSSIBLE.

ANOTHER AVALANCHE
COULD HIT AT ANY MOMENT.

Eric: GOT A LOT OF RESCUERS
UP THERE RIGHT NOW.

[ INDISTINCT RADIO CHATTER ]

LOOKS LIKE
THEY GOT SOMEBODY OUT.

Narrator:
WALTER, THE AUSTRIAN CLIMBER,

IS ALIVE BUT UNCONSCIOUS.

WHAT ARE THE INJURIES?

VITAL OXYGEN AND MEDICINE

REACH RESCUERS TRYING
TO REVIVE THE AUSTRIAN CLIMBER.

YEAH,
WE'RE SENDING SIX GUYS.

RESCUERS ATTEMPT
A STRETCHER EVACUATION,

BUT IT'S SLOWGOING
IN THIS RUGGED TERRAIN...

AND MORE DANGEROUS
AFTER THE AVALANCHE

WIPED OUT THE FIXED ROUTE
AND SAFETY ROPES.

Eric: MAY NOT BE FAST,
MAY NOT BE PRETTY,

BUT THEY'RE GOING
IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

LAKPA NURU, WALTER'S SHERPA
GUIDE, IS STILL MISSING.

HE'S ONE OF THE OLDER AND MOST
EXPERIENCED EVEREST GUIDES,

AND HE HAS A FAMILY.

MAYBE HE'S IN THE CREVASSE.
WE DON'T KNOW.

Narrator: AFTER COLLAPSING
WITH CHEST PAINS,

REJEAN WAS ABLE
TO AVOID THE AVALANCHE

AND MAKES IT BACK
THROUGH THE ICEFALL UNHARMED.

BASE CAMP DOCTORS RUN TESTS
FOR A SUSPECTED HEART ATTACK.

OUR MAJOR CONCERN IS THAT THE
CHEST PAIN THAT HE EXPERIENCED

IS POSSIBLY A HEART ATTACK.

IF SYMPTOMS RECURRED,
HE COULD DIE.

[ MONITOR BEEPING ]

Narrator: RESCUERS CAN'T STAY
IN AVALANCHE ALLEY MUCH LONGER.

STILL NO SIGN OF LAKPA NURU.

TEAMS START PULLING FRUSTRATED
RESCUERS OUT OF THE ICEFALL.

AFTER THREE HOURS,
THE SEARCH HAS TO BE CALLED OFF.

LAKPA NURU IS THE FIRST VICTIM
OF THE CLIMBING SEASON.

WE KNOW MOUNT EVEREST
IS A DANGEROUS PLACE,

AND THAT'S A HEARTBREAK
TO EVERYBODY.

WE TAKE EVERY DEATH
VERY, VERY, VERY PERSONALLY.

THEY'RE OUR FAMILY.

Narrator: REJEAN WAITS TO BE
AIRLIFTED TO A HOSPITAL

FOR A COMPLETE SET OF TESTS
ON HIS HEART.

COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS.
YOU'RE A LUCKY MAN TODAY.

IT'S REALLY --
IT'S A HARD DAY.

BUT WE WERE HAPPY
THAT YOU'RE HERE.

WE NEED TO GET THAT SATPHONE
AND GIVE YOUR WIFE A CALL.

THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT
IF YOU WANT TO COME HERE,

YOU NEED TO ACCEPT THE FACT
THAT YOU COULD DIE DOING THIS.

Narrator:
BUT FOR DAVID TAIT,

THE REWARD IS A PLACE ALL HIS
OWN IN THE EVEREST RECORD BOOK,

THE FIRST CLIMBER TO SUMMIT
WITH THE ROPE-FIXING SHERPAS.

[ SPEAKS INDISTINCTLY ]
Man:
DID I CALL THAT?

I CAME DOWN LIKE
A 500-MILE-AN-HOUR SNOW PLOW.

AND RUSSELL BRICE HAS A PERFECT
RECORD SO FAR THIS SEASON --

ONE CLIMBER, ONE SUMMIT.

BUT THE ODDS AREN'T GOOD
FOR NEARLY 800 CLIMBERS.

BARELY MORE THAN ONE IN THREE
WILL REACH THE SUMMIT,

AND SOME WILL DIE TRYING.

THAT'S THE BOTTOM LINE ON
THE WORLD'S DEADLIEST MOUNTAIN.